The Bohemian Foundation continues to grow from strength to strength. This was clear as the Foundation hosted another great night of comedy and music in Mountjoy Prison last Friday.
Shane Supple was interviewed by Tommy Tiernan and the prisoners were delighted to hear that despite recently retiring, Shane aims to continue his work with the Foundation inside Mountjoy.
“Although I now have full-time job outside football and with the evenings getting brighter, I’ll have time to come into Mountjoy. Even though we recently lost players that were stalwarts of the Foundation, the new players are eager to get involved.
He added: “From my experience they’ll personally benefit greatly from working with the Foundation.”
Deputy Governor of Mountjoy Prison, Donnacha Walsh, explained on the night that this continuity is vital for the continued success of the development of the prisoners.
Lord Mayor of Dublin Nial Ring said: “What Thomas Hynes and the Bohemian Foundation are doing, in terms of reaching out to the community is fantastic,” he said. “The Foundation does stellar work in preparing prisoners to reintegrate into the community after their release and tonight was just another example of that.”
One of the eminent guests on the night was also full of praise for the work of the Bohemian Foundation. Lecturer in Criminology in Maynooth University, Dr Ian Marder said, “recent research indicates that physical activity in prisons, such as sports, can have a number of benefits for prisoners, including for their mental health and wellbeing. It can also act as a pathway to education, where sporting qualifications are made available.”
However, he stressed that the most important thing the Bohemian Foundation does is bring the community inside the prison walls.
Dr Marder said, “what the Bohemian Foundation is trying to do is show that the prison and the people in there are part of the community. The Foundation does this through the respect they show to the people they work with and by bringing the community into the prison with all the events they organise.”
Renowned medical anthropologist, Dr Dana Walrath, was also in attendance and she thanked the Bohemian Foundation for the invitation. She said, “it was such a wonderful night and I am so excited to work with the Foundation with any events they have planned in the future.”
